This invention relates to a watering system which is used in animal husbandry or the like and more particularly to a hanging waterer for poultry and the like.
Animal husbandry is a vital sector of national, and in fact, world agribusiness. In order for this segment of agriculture to be profitable for the producer, the producer must be able to implement technology which increases the economy and efficiency of his operation. It is well known that implementation of low maintenance or maintenance free devices, where feasible, can help improve the economy and efficiency of many systems. As such, industries supporting animal husbandry have provided technology which minimizes human interaction in the feeding and watering of animals.
For example, the Swish watering system manufactured by Swish Watering Systems, Milford, Ind., provides an automatic watering system to deliver fresh water to chickens, turkeys and other fowl. This watering system provides the animals with a constant supply of fresh, clean water upon depression of a specially designed valve mounted within a drinking cup which is attached to a water pipe. For small chicks, the pipe is laid directly on the ground to provide the chicks with easy access to water. For larger animals such as young or full grown chickens or turkeys, the watering system is suspended to prevent the animals from polluting the drinking cups and damaging the system by stepping or roosting on it.
To suspend the watering system for the larger animals, the prior art provides a support member under which the watering system water pipe is attached by means of fasteners and metal straps. In this prior art system, the metal straps are attached to the support member, usually a structural metal pipe or metal channel, by means of threaded fasteners requiring the use of tools to assemble the watering system. The portion of the strap which secures the water pipe underneath the support member is also attached using a threaded fastener or the like and likewise requiring the use of tools to assemble.
In an alternative embodiment, the watering pipe is constructed of metal such that for limited lengths a structural member is not required. However, a major problem with metal pipes is that they can potentially contaminate the water delivered to the animals. For instance, animal raisers commonly medicate the water flowing through the watering system as an economical and efficient means of delivering medication. However, the effect of the medication on the metal may have an adverse effect on the animals. Therefore, it is preferable to use a plastic pipe to deliver water to the animals and suspend the plastic pipe from a support member since the plastic pipe, when filled with water, is incapable of self support over distances.
Also, in both of the above-mentioned alternative embodiments of the prior art watering system, an anti-roost wire is suspended a specified distance above the drinking cups or the support member to prevent the animals from stepping or roosting on the water pipe. The anti-roost wire is an electrical conductor which carries a small current to deter the animals from stepping or roosting on the water pipe and/or support member.
A problem which results from using a steel support member and a plastic water pipe is that plastic has a coefficient of thermal expansion approximately seven times that of steel. If the support member and the water pipe are not permitted to move independently of each other, the resulting differential in coefficients can result in damage or failure of the watering system. Failure results by one member restricting the expansion or contraction of the other member thereby rupturing or bending one of the members. Should the water pipe become ruptured, a potential for water damage to both the animals and the animal housing exists.